


Stimming

by MachineryField



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Autistic Egil, Autistic Shulk, Gen, Pre-Mechonis Core Post-Agniratha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24595606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MachineryField/pseuds/MachineryField
Summary: “Of course we do. The people of Bionis learned it from us, long ago.” Vanea laughed a bit. “And even if we had learned it from the Bionis… well, the term works well, given Egil’s condition.”“His condition, do you mean he’s autistic, too?” Shulk tilted his head to the side. “I wouldn’t have expected that.”
Kudos: 14





	Stimming

**Author's Note:**

> Autistic lads,,,,

Sharla walked into Junks, only to see Shulk holding onto the chords coming out of Vanea’s hats. He was rolling them between his fingers and she was pretty sure she even saw him place his tongue against one. Oh, for the love of Bionis…

“Shulk.” She pulled one of the many items she kept on hands for moments like this. “How about you use Blue Chain instead.”

“Oh!” He blinked back to attention and seemed to have realized what he was doing as he took the chain. “Thanks Sharla, and… sorry Vanea.”

Vanea laughed a bit, turning to face them. “Do not worry, Egil used to be interested in them as well, when we were young. I do not mind you stimming with them.”

“St…” Sharla blinked a few times. “You Machina have that term?”

“Of course we do. The people of Bionis learned it from us, long ago.” Vanea laughed a bit. “And even if we had learned it from the Bionis… well, the term works well, given Egil’s condition.”

“His condition, do you mean he’s autistic, too?” Shulk tilted his head to the side. “I wouldn’t have expected that.”

“Yes, he is.” She nodded, a sad smile on her face. “I would have been delighted to have led another like him to him, if not for the circumstances…”

“I understand.” Shulk stared at the blue chain, moving it in his hands. “But maybe that means I can understand him more, too…”

Sharla furrowed her brow, his last words being a mumble. “What was that, Shulk?”

“Nothing.” Shulk shook his head. “There’s just… a lot I still want to say to him. Even if… even if he didn’t want to listen before.”

“Shulk…” Sharla and Vanea shared a look before Sharla sighed. “We’ll leave you be, alright? It seems like you need some time to think.”

They walked out, Vanea placing her hand on his head in a gentle touch of affirmation, for just a moment. She was probably happy to hear Shulk still wanted to speak, as hard as it may be. As much as part of him screamed to kill him, be done with it.

But another part of him knew how hard it was to cope with trauma. Put it into words when your words never seemed to be understood quite right by others. Trauma was hard, and not being understood when trying to talk about it was harder.

One more shot, just one more try… He would try again to talk to Egil, see if they could come to an understanding.

After all, they were more similar than Shulk would have ever thought.


End file.
